Judge gives him a lighter sentence for returning items, drug therapy and being a first-time offender

Returning stolen items and attending drug treatment made a difference in an Ironton man’s sentence Wednesday. Matthew J. Miller, 21, of 2555 S. Sixth St., pleaded guilty in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court to two counts of theft.

Judge Charles Cooper sentenced Miller to four years of community-controlled sanctions and ordered him to successfully complete the STAR community justice program.

Cooper told Miller that he was getting a break because he is a first-time offender, he returned the items he stole to the victim and he voluntarily went to drug addiction therapy.

Miller apologized to the court.

“I just want to say I’m sorry and you’ll never see my face again,” Miller said.

Cooper also reserved 11 months in prison in case Miller doesn’t complete the program.

Also during court, Jason Tackett, 29, of 278 County Road 2765, South Point, pleaded guilty and was sentenced for one count of grand theft, a fourth-degree felony.

Tackett worked at Beford South Point Ford until he took a vehicle without permission while intoxicated and wrecked it, Assistant Prosecutor Mack Anderson said.

Judge D. Scott Bowling sentenced Tackett to four years of community- controlled sanctions and ordered him to successfully complete STAR.

Kiah M. Maynard, 18, of 311 Township Road 1167, Proctorville, pleaded not guilty to burglary, grand theft, complicity to aggravated burglary, complicity to kidnapping, complicity to disrupting public services and complicity to theft of an elderly person. Maynard is accused of burglarizing the home of an elderly person and tying up the homeowner, Anderson said.

Judge Cooper continued a bond from a lower court and set a pretrial for Nov. 17.

Heather Pyle, 29, of 3349 Route 75 #148B, was sentenced to four years in prison for complicity to aggravated trafficking in drugs. Pyle pleaded guilty to the changes in Cooper’s courtroom.

The judge also denied Pyle a furlough but granted her a courtroom visitation with family.